My dad always says, "A family that eats together, stays together"
A simple mantra as it sounds, and is something we keep in practice in our family.
Of course, it used to be everyone staying under the same roof, so there was never really any effort which could be seen in maintaining the practice, although we always sit down and eat together.
It seemed as though there was nothing out of the norm and it was just an ordinary lifestyle.
We left the nest for university, for work and it was then only during festive seasons or on occasions, or perhaps that periodic trips where we gather as a family.
It is not so much about the meal or everyone having to make that special trip just to sit down together, but the rule is simple, if everyone is around or anyone at home and it's meal time, no one starts until everyone is at the table.
Yes, it is just that simple.
It is all about everyone present at the table.
That's it.
Of course, we have the occasional rule breaker and the whole family would just fidget and insist the culprit sits down or no one would start.
Drama?
Nope, just persistence.
It is just one simple thing that we kept in practice, and something that we looked at with importance though it did not seem that way back then.
It is funny how things could just rise in importance when they seem to be rare, or just how people would realize the value of those around them when they have lost them.
It is just the way of life.
I have been away from home for years now, though work has also sent me back to reconcile with my home city for a few years; the years away still outnumber that of those I spent back in my city.
As I move in and out of my city over the years, it has also slowly made me treasure more of the times I spend with my family.
Perhaps it is age, or rather wisdom which grows with age; the simple adage of family is always the most important seems to appear in bolder capitalized font before my very eyes.
It is far from the type of meal we have; whether it be luxurious or even if it's just a simple takeaway meal that we could just crowd around the coffee table, we always like to wait for everyone to be ready and to join in before anyone takes a bite.
Old habits just never die.
Whenever we enjoyed something nice while we are out working, we would also always make it a point to remember to bring the rest of the family to try it out.
It is just like it was programmed at the back of our minds.
We don't feel like it's right when we enjoyed the treat without sharing it with the rest of the family.
As they say, it is always about good food and good company, and we never miss enjoying a good meal without the rest of the family.
Even now, we have expanded to a bigger family and while we enjoyed our Easter brunch last weekend, we still had those who could not join in our minds.
We wished they were there with us as well to enjoy that round of good food at the restaurant.
As my family mantra goes, they were words of wisdom passed down from my late grandmother and now my father and to me and my brother, which will continue to go down the line of the upcoming generation.
I can hear shouts to beckon for everyone to sit at the table as the words continue to haunt us and sneak into our minds; where everyone is to always remember,
A Family that Eats Together, Stays Together
Always, no excuse
*Featured photos:
Easter brunch 2016 at Oriental Viva, Viva Home Shopping Centre (Jalan Loke Yew, Kuala Lumpur)
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